Category: play
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Hartman Creek State Park
I hung my hammock between two tall pines at Hartman Creek State Park, looking forward to a good night’s sleep and a view of the stars. Didn’t get either. Someone down the road had their radio going all night, so I drifted in and out of sleep to the tunes they shared with everyone else Read.
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Lake of the Pines / Hartman Creek State Park
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Lake of the Pines State Campground
I spent the night at Lake of the Pines State Campground, in spite of the best efforts of a biblical swarm of mosquitoes to drive me away. Lake of the Pines is about a four-hour drive from Madison if you don’t stop. I stopped more than once, so it was more like four-and-a-half. I arrived Read.
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Father’s Day Gift 2025
Updating my hiking log, a Rite In Rain notebook, using a Rite In The Rain mechanical pencil, both gifts from Number One Son, Sean, for Father’s Day. Thanks, Sean! I’ve been using a Rite In The Rain notebook to log my hikes after watching My Darling B log all her gardening notes in the same Read.
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Porcupine Mountains 6-12-2025
I was supposed to be waking up in a camp site beside Mirror Lake this morning. Instead, I’m back at home doinking around on the internet. Not the four-day weekend I’d hoped for. (Disclaimer: that’s a photo of Lake of the Clouds, although if you squint you can see Mirror Lake in the distant background.) Read.
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Vacation in California 2013
I didn’t take my phone to Isle Royale because it wouldn’t work there, except as a camera, but I didn’t want to use it as a camera because it’s a pretty old phone. I was absolutely certain the battery wouldn’t last five days. Even if I brought a power bank, I was pretty sure my Read.
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Isle Royale National Park 05-30-2025
Put the picnic table in the marshiest part of the camp site. We’ll just dump some gravel in the mud underneath the table. It’ll be fine. The only time I got rained on while I was visiting Isle Royale was on Friday morning. Once, well before sunrise while it was still pretty dark, I heard Read.
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Isle Royale National Park 05-29-2025
The holy grail of visitors to Isle Royale would seem to be getting to see a moose. If you talk to anyone you meet on the island for more than five minutes, they’ll ask if you’ve seen one, or they’ll tell you where they saw one. Usually both. It’s a hot topic. More than half Read.
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Isle Royale National Park 05-28-2025
My Darling B was surprised to learn there are outhouses in the wilderness areas of Isle Royale. If you have to answer the call of nature while you’re on the trail, you’re allowed to poop in a cathole. I didn’t have to on this trip, and I’m pretty happy about that, to be honest. I’ve Read.
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Isle Royale National Park 05-27-2025
My day started with a toad and ended with frogs. I’m not saying it means anything, but it’s an odd coincidence, don’t you think? Right out of Lane Cove campground, after crossing the plank bridge and just as I was starting the climb up the first ridge, a toad as big and fat as my Read.
This Is Drivel 